Mulling It Over

I have a presentation that is due tomorrow night at 7pm. Robyn as well has this presentation. We, to my knowledge, have not actually started working on this presentation. The current time is 8:34 pm. This presentation is in no way difficult. I believe this is the reason that neither of us have any desire to even attempt working on it. I have about 4 slides I made 5 days ago, but that is it. This presentation is over a chapter in the book that anyone with a 5th grade education could read. Because of this I see no real reason that we should have to do a presentation over it. If this were over an issue or a concept not covered in the book I would be ok with it. But this class and classes with this teacher are historically known for their presentations. I am not paying myself or Robyn to teach the class; I am, however, paying the teacher (with my loan funded tuition money) therefore I expect this teacher to teach. Now because this homework must be done, and I do not wish to do it; I have taken to reading away messages. Which leads us to the heart of this post.

Reading away messages is in no way a new problem for me. It has been going on for many years now and there is really no way to quit. Reading away messages is what brings me to my next these thoughts. With music, especially popular music (by popular I mean anything that is current) there seems to be this sense of animalistic territorialness. I do it; I know others do as well. For example, while reading the away msgs I saw that someone had posted the lyrics of Ben Folds song. I love Ben Folds; I have been listening to him for a number of years. I felt upon reading these lyrics perturbed; I felt that this person was a phony, a fraud, a "poser," if you will. They certainly did not "love" Ben the way that I do. I felt they had no right to display these lyrics. What, I ask, brings about this terratorialness? I believe it all has to do with image. I believe that for every band/artist, there is a corresponding fan image. If a person does not meet this image the other fans that do meet the image feel the non-image meeting person has no right to display any affiliation with the band/artist.
This includes but is not limited to:

• Saying this artist is their favorite
• Posting lyrics in any sort of online profile
• Wearing buttons, clothing, stickers displaying band/artist's name
• Bumper stickers
  
• Or hearing the most popular song by the band/artist and singing along to the chorus b/c not being real fans they do not know the lyrics

When these affiliations are displayed the "real fans" or at least the fans that meet the image shake their heads and grumble. The image meeting fans feel that because of the time, effort, and money they have put into the band/artist they own them, they band/artist is theirs and theirs alone. I feel this way about Ben Folds and others. Concerts, CD's, clothing, and endless hours of music listening bring about a kinship that is irreplaceable by learning the song that comes on the radio. So do these things make a real fan. Is there such a thing as a real fan?I think the answer to both of those questions is yes. Is it ok to merely associate ones self with a band/artist and not pledge total allegiance? I think not. I know that there must be those people who are big fans of certain bands/artists but do not meet the image. What of the non-image meeting fans who have done all these "real fan" objectives? At this quandary, I shake my head. I do not know the answer. I do not know how one can be a real fan and not be transformed by the fandom and music. This must be left to someone far wiser than I. I do not know if there is a way for these non-image fans to gain the respect of the image meeting fans.

But to homework, I must go. Maybe someday I'll rock the suburbs at least and see Jesusland in a new light, until then I'll keep getting smaller while the world gets big and try to be the best imitation of myself.

I AMENDMENT of the Constitution of the United States
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.


Some people seem to be unaware of what this is, if you are, it is the First Amendment it comes from a little thing I like to call the constitution. Now, this is probably one of the most referred to amendments ever. It is important because it gives you rights. The main right I would like to address today is "Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech" This gives you and I the right to say pretty much whatever we want. We are utterly blessed to have this be part of countries make up; there are other places where people don't get to live this way. This is your right and your privilege . Because of this right, occasionally, we are going to have to hear people that don't agree with us or even people that hate us. What this amendment means is that the White Supremacist, the muslim, and the athies all have a right to speak as well. Ok, I'll accept that fact. Voltaire said, "I may not believe in what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." This is one of my favorite quotes, because I firmly believe in what it means.

Moving on, because you have this right, use it. People who make controversial comments and then don't sign their names, ultimately perturbs me more than few other things. These same people often submit things to newspapers with out their names. Do not, I repeat, Do not be anonymous. You have the right to say what you want. If you are going to have an opinion, own it; be prepared to back up what you have said. America is no place to be afraid of reactions. It is your right to say what you think.

I am, today, proud to be an American. This is not a statement I often make. I am, in no way, an ethnocentrist, a nationalist, or even all that patriotic. But I am proud to live in a country where people have freedom to say what they wish and not be persecuted by the government for it and even be protected by the government. Since you are protected use your rights and own up.

I have in past posts looked at this topic as a part of other topics, but now, today, I am looking at it for its own merit. What good is education? (And by education I am referring to the expensive, book learning that we all seem to hold so dear) Now, I am a person that loves to learn; I like to read and converse and pick up new information. I love everything from useless trivia to Kierkegaard. I want to teach, so it is obvious that I value education. In no way, is this post saying that education is useless. I firmly believe it is not, but my question is, is all this learning really worth as much as we say it is?

Supposedly, we go to college to get jobs and become "productive citizens," but will education really make me a productive citizen? I feel as though education is making me a snob. Those that educate us and everything around says, "the more you learn the more you are worth," so if I have learned more than others this should mean that I am worth more than others are, and I know, in my heart that is not true. Nevertheless, it is very difficult not to feel superior. It is difficult for me not to devalue majors that while useful to society do not necessarily invoke higher-order thinking. God is no respecter of persons; I as well should not be. However, the more I learn the more I am worth. It is not just in middle and upper socio-economic statuses where this is preached. It is at every level of our society, even at the most poverty-stricken. Most likely, one of the reasons, I have worked so hard and value education the way I do is that my parents always said, "You will go to college. You will not struggle for money. You will get a good job.” The last two statements hinge upon education. It is the golden ticket, even though it cost a bucket of gold to get it.

What of the time we spend getting education. Does getting an education equal living life or does life begin after we "finish" learning? I have currently spent the last five years working a BA and now a Masters. I am seriously considering getting an additional degree that I am sure I would enjoy working on and receiving but for what end goal: to increase my worth, to help me get a better job, what? And with each degree that you receive you wonder and now what. What do I do with this degree: do I let it suffice and be content, do I get another degree, do I work the original job that I wanted to work three degrees ago or am I now over-qualified for that job? If I have all of this education/worth am I wasting it by not working at the highest level that I am qualified for?

I am at a loss. I feel as though I may be wasting both money and more importantly time. But what if education is better than working or other things. I acquiesce to your comments and suggestions. Is education really all we make it out to be?